iOS 17 post install - system data took my storage

[WilliApple]

Did the same thing for me, I reset my phone and it is no longer using 40 GB.

 

[sparksd]

But synced data, I believe, only pertains to data, such as music, that has been saved to your computer and then transferred/synced via iTunes to your phone. My music is mostly years of ripping CDs via iTunes and then syncing that music with my phone.

When I unsynced that music/data, I didn't gain 133GB or storage (66GB for music and 67GB for synced content). I got 66GB of additional storage as the music was gone and the synced content category also went away.

So this leads me to believe that even though we see synced content listed in the storage bar and list under iPhone storage, it's not actually being counted against actual storage. It's misleading as heck and making many assume it is additional data taking up storage but now I am not so sure.

I wonder what would happen if I deleted the 16GB of music (ripped CDs) from my iPhone and then copied it back to the phone using iMazing, not iTunes (I have a full iMazing license). I may try that (don't have time at the moment).

 

[sparksd]

I wonder what would happen if I deleted the 16GB of music (ripped CDs) from my iPhone and then copied it back to the phone using iMazing, not iTunes (I have a full iMazing license). I may try that (don't have time at the moment).

Did this test with my Mini 6, which had no music or synced content. I copied over 2GB of music using iMazing, not iTunes, and synced data now shows up, about equal to the downloaded music size. I then deleted the music on the iPad and it cleared the synced data.

 

[Gator5000e]

My guess is that it is not taking up actual storage space. Synced Content is just there to tell you, in an amazingly confusing way, that you have XXGB of synced content on your phone.

 

[sparksd]

My guess is that it is not taking up actual storage space. Synced Content is just there to tell you, in an amazingly confusing way, that you have XXGB of synced content on your phone.

But synced with what if you are not using iTunes at all? Is it really "could be synced" then?

 

[Gator5000e]

But synced with what if you are not using iTunes at all? Is it really "could be synced" then?

My guess would be that synced content means any data coming from a computer to your phone. Doesn't have to be via iTunes.

 

[sparksd]

My guess would be that synced content means any data coming from a computer to your phone. Doesn't have to be via iTunes.

Appears to be music only - I have a sizable amount of videos & photos that are not being counted in it.

 

[Gator5000e]

Appears to be music only - I have a sizable amount of videos & photos that are not being counted in it.

That is what the Tech agent with Apple told me. Photos & videos are not included in the synced content category.

 

[GGJstudios]

Update: This issue appears to be resolved as of 17.0.3, at least for me. Now my iPad shows less than 5GB of System Data (still too much, but more manageable), and Synced content now shows 12.5GB, which is exactly the amount of storage taken by the songs I synced to my iPad. The music app shows less than a GB of App size and Documents and Data. So it appears ”Synced content” is strictly the music I sync to my device, and is no longer consuming that amount twice, as it was before.

I hope this issue is resolved for all who encountered it.

 

[sparksd]

Update: This issue appears to be resolved as of 17.0.3, at least for me. Now my iPad shows less than 5GB of System Data (still too much, but more manageable), and Synced content now shows 12.5GB, which is exactly the amount of storage taken by the songs I synced to my iPad. The music app shows less than a GB of App size and Documents and Data. So it appears ”Synced content” is strictly the music I sync to my device, and is no longer consuming that amount twice, as it was before.

I hope this issue is resolved for all who encountered it.

17.0.3 caused the System Data to increase from 5-6GB to 12GB on my 14PM and Mini 6.